This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to containers for dispensing pastes, gels, creams and other products hereinafter referred to as liquids.
It is often desirable to be able to dispense controlled quantities of liquid from an elongate container, tube or the like through an outlet in the cap of the container at an angle to the direction of flow of liquid from the container to the cap, rather than through an outlet in the top of the container, and in a wiping action directly onto the skin, for example the arm or leg, for subsequent rubbing into the skin for treatment purposes.
Such a wiping action is most conveniently achieved by using a container having a relatively long neck and a narrower cap to provide an ergonomic profile to the container.
However, the number of such containers available with such angled side outlets is limited, while those that are currently available suffer from a number of disadvantages, not the least of which are that the dispensing mechanisms thereof are of relatively complex construction and are expensive to manufacture.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,638 discloses a container having a nozzle provided with an outlet which dispenses the contents of the associated container in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feed of the content of the container to the nozzle and under the control of a flexible diaphragm. However, the nozzle incorporates a tortuous series of channels/passageways for the flow of fluid to the outlet, while the diaphragm is integral with, or connected to, a piston of complex configuration urged by a spring into a normal rest position sealing the outlet. Clearly such an arrangement is expensive to manufacture and requires careful manual assembly, while it has also been found to suffer from hygiene problems.
Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,311, CH 225084 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,170,588 all of which disclose containers with outlets in the sides thereof, but all of which are also of relatively complex construction, difficult to manufacture and difficult to assemble, and to U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,611 disclosing a metal container which, on inversion and squeezing, dispenses liquid through an outlet in the cap under the control of a valve element comprising a one-piece plastic extrusion, the container further including a one-way valve in the form of a vented rubber gasket to facilitate restoration of the sides of the container subsequent to dispensing.
It would be desirable to be able to provide a container capable of controlled dispensing of liquid, particularly but not exclusively from a side outlet therein, and of a simpler, more hygienic construction and more economically manufactured than heretofore, preferably suitable for automated assembly to enable efficient high volume production.
According to the present invention there is provided a container comprising a body member for containing liquid and a neck at one end thereof through which liquid flows on pressurization of the interior of the body member, and a closure for the body member including a cap located on the neck of the body member and having an outlet therein for dispensing therethrough liquid flowing through the neck of the body member, a control valve located within the cap for controlling the dispensing of liquid flowing from the body member to the outlet from the cap, the control valve being a one piece plastic moulding including a diaphragm portion and a nose portion extending from one side of said diaphragm portion, and having a rest position in which the nose portion engages in, to seal, the outlet from the cap, and a one-way valve in the flow path of liquid from the body member to the outlet and communicating with the atmosphere, said one-way valve having a closed position sealing the interior of the container from the atmosphere and an open position interconnecting the interior of the container with the atmosphere, the arrangement being such that, on pressurization of the interior of the body member, liquid from the body member flows through the neck of the body member into the cap to close the one-way valve and to engage with the one side of the diaphragm portion of the control valve to distort said diaphragm portion whereby the nose portion of the control valve is displaced from the outlet and liquid is dispensed therethrough, and, on subsequent release of pressure from the interior of the body member, the control valve returns, under the influence of its inherent resiliency and atmospheric pressure, to its rest position with the nose portion thereof seating in, to seal, the outlet, and the one-way valve opens to facilitate re-pressurization of the interior of the body member, characterized in that the cap includes an annular seating for the control valve projecting inwardly of the cap and being of hollow, open-ended generally cylindrical shape the bore through which interconnects the interior of the cap with the atmosphere, the control valve being mounted on the seating with the diaphragm portion thereof sealing the inner end of the seating and whereby the other side of the diaphragm portion remote from the nose portion is subjected to atmospheric pressure.
It will be appreciated that, with such an arrangement, the closure for the body member can be of extremely simple construction and can comprise a minimal number of individual components which can be readily manufactured by plastic moulding techniques, and, where appropriate, automatically assembled, the provision of the one-way valve ensuring quick and efficient return of the body member to its normal rest condition.
The control valve may be overmoulded on the inner end of the seating.
The annular seating may be integrally moulded with the cap.
Alternatively the annular seating may be separate from, and be a push-fit into, the cap.
The separate seating may have integrally formed therewith a secondary seating adapted to receive therein the one-way valve such as to locate said one-way valve in the flow path of liquid from the interior of the body member to the outlet from the cap.
The separate seating may be interconnected with the cap by means of a reduced-thickness hinge.
The one-way valve may be mounted in the cap or in the neck of the body member.
The outlet may be formed in a plate portion movable relative to the remainder of the cap between a normal position completing the cap and a displaced position providing access to the interior of the cap and to the control valve.
The plate portion may be integrally moulded with the remainder of the cap and movable relative thereto by means of a hinge, or may be separate from the remainder of the cap and a snap fit into an associated operative position in the remainder of the cap.
It will be appreciated that the provision of the annular seating open to the atmosphere and the movable plate portion combine to enable ready, automated assembly of the container, in that the control valve can be inserted into the cap through the open plate portion, positioned on the seating, and the plate portion subsequently closed to completed the closure.
Furthermore, the provision of the apertured seating and the movable plate portion as disclosed permits ready overmoulding of the control valve on the seating, in that the opposed metal inserts or dies for forming the valve can be inserted one through the seating and the other through the open plate portion whereby the control valve can be formed on the seating.
The closure may include a plug member adapted to be a friction fit within the cap to engage the other side of the diaphragm portion of the control valve remote from the nose portion and to retain the nose portion in its rest position engaging in, to seal, the outlet, such an arrangement serving to prevent inadvertent dispensing from the container.
Conveniently, the plug member is integrally moulded with the cap and is pivotal relative thereto about a reduced thickness hinge between an operative position engaging the diaphragm portion of the valve and a released position displaced from the control valve.
The closure may be integrally moulded with the body member to form a continuation of the neck of said body member.